• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Nathan Bransford | Writing, Book Editing, Publishing

Helping authors achieve their dreams

  • Blog
  • Writing Advice
  • Publishing Advice
  • About
  • Take a Class
  • Get Editing

Your Suggestions Appreciated!

May 5, 2010 by Nathan Bransford 210 Comments

We’re now three years into the lifespan of this blog, and in that time it has seen many changes. I’ve gone from breathlessly discussing what is happening on the Hills to seeing an ad for it the other day and thinking, “Wait… there’s another season? I thought it was over a year ago!”

The world changes so much in three years.

But that’s not what this post is about – I thought I’d check in to see what you’d like to see more/less of on the blog and to solicit feedback. I aim to please!

More/less queries?
More/less writing?
More/less publishing news?
More/less Nathan’s writing life?
More/less Nathan speaking in the third person?
More/still-more/no-really-I-mean-way-more monkeys?

The last time I checked in people asked for Forums, so this isn’t an idle exercise. I am definitely curious and very much appreciate your thoughts.

And I can’t thank you enough for reading and commenting – some of you have been around since the beginning and it really means a lot! Thank you thank you thank you.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: You Tell Me

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cheyanne Young says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:00 pm

    I'd love to see more queries that you like enough to request and also more of Nathan talking in the third person. 🙂

    Reply
  2. Karla Nellenbach says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:05 pm

    more query tips would be great…

    definitely more Nathan talking about Nathan in third person and spider-howler-monkeys please 🙂

    Reply
  3. Alyssa says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:07 pm

    I enjoy reading about your processes in writing and in agenting. If monkeys happen to sneak in frequently, that's all right too. 😉

    Reply
  4. Natalie Whipple says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:07 pm

    I need more cowbell.

    Sorry, couldn't help myself.

    Reply
  5. Pam says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:08 pm

    More/less queries? query tips from you are always welcome and awesome.

    More/less writing? Writing MOAR!

    More/less publishing news? Publishing news you can get loads of places I say save your posts and time.

    More/less Nathan's writing life? Nathan's writing life is interesting. Go for more.

    More/less Nathan speaking in the third person? Who doesn't love third person?

    More/still-more/no-really-I-mean-way-more monkeys? Monkeys are a gimmick and to market you need a shiny spiffy gimmick right?:P

    Reply
  6. KaT says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:08 pm

    Queries, I third that! Those posts are incredibly helpful!

    Reply
  7. Matt Ryan says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:09 pm

    Hi Nathan –

    Thanks for the opportunity to weigh in. Like the others, I am definitely interested in more query best practices and advice on other tools like synopses.

    Thanks again.

    Reply
  8. JohnO says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:09 pm

    I'd love to see a discussion about picking and then developing a premise for a book you're thinking about writing. What would an agent or an editor say to a writer at the outset?

    Reply
  9. D. G. Hudson says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:10 pm

    My preference is for more writing information, techniques and tips. That would include query, synopsis, and all parts writing.

    Keep the same amount of publishing news to keep us up to date on what's important to know, and the same goes for your writing life. It gives us a peek into the your writing process and your dealings with the industry.

    As for the monkeys, those pesky little critters, I would cage them in the forums.

    I think the forums are great even if I don't visit there often. I like the option. But I'm stingy with my writing time.

    Thanks Nathan for asking what we think!

    Reply
  10. T.J. says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:10 pm

    Ditto to Cheyanne's comments. But she forgot the monkeys. Definitely more of them.

    Reply
  11. Andrea says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:11 pm

    I also say more queries. Please.

    Reply
  12. Shari says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:11 pm

    More queries, more writing.

    And more cats photo, seriously. Doesn't necessarily have to have bacon taped on them, but cats photo once in a while is nice.

    Reply
  13. Wordy Birdie says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:14 pm

    I'd love to see the return of a search bar, so we can do a post search using keywords. I've really missed that with the new layout, and it can be a little frustrating and time-expensive to have to search through many posts to find exactly what I'm looking for.

    But apart from that, love it. Keep on keeping on!

    Reply
  14. Tahereh says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:14 pm

    yes! your query posts are exceptionally helpful!

    and so is pretty much everything you blog about.

    i especially love that you share my love for all things Apple. (so i'd love to hear more on your thoughts re: the iPad, etc. and how these new technologies are going to revolutionize the literary world.)

    thank you for all you do!

    Reply
  15. Nathan Bransford says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:15 pm

    wordy-

    There's a search bar on the right side of the page, just under the books by my clients.

    Reply
  16. Chris Kubica says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:16 pm

    I'm with Natalie. Definitely more cowbell.

    Reply
  17. hannah says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:17 pm

    More queries, more fun contests.

    Reply
  18. Derek Whisman says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:18 pm

    I would love to see even more query talk. Perhaps more sample queries with your feedback, etc. I know from experience that the query process can often be the most frustrating parts of writing, so I think that would help tremendously.

    Reply
  19. Wordy Birdie says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:18 pm

    Thanks Nathan, missed that!

    Reply
  20. Leis says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:19 pm

    I think you have pretty good instincts, Nathan. All your posts are genuine and informative.

    Don't always get the space monkeys. But that's a personal lapse.

    Reply
  21. Susan Kaye Quinn says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:21 pm

    More cats vs. monkeys, please.

    Also, more of Nathan's writing life (third person or not), but I'm especially curious about your adventures through the road to publication, and now post-publication-holy-moly-I-have-to-write-a-sequel??? life.

    That, and whatever pops into your head. 🙂

    Reply
  22. Jess says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:22 pm

    Hm. I'd say more on the writing life and the writing business – so queries, writing, and your writing life would all be great.

    I usually tend to just skim the publishing news though, so maybe stick to the BIG NEWS, or stuff that's really going to affect you/us.

    Reply
  23. Kristine says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:23 pm

    Yes to all of the above!

    But seriously… I love reading about news in the publishing world and how different people are reacting to everything…I'm still lost in the world of querying and trying to get that right, so any tips and tricks there are always wonderful…and monkeys? Who doesn't love a monkey?

    Reply
  24. Melissa Sarno says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:24 pm

    I read a lot of publishing blogs and I feel there's a lot less information about what happens after you get an offer from an agent. I think a lot of us hope to be in that position and it's not always clear to me what happens from the offer to the book deal.

    Your posts are always informative and helpful. Thanks for doing what you do. 🙂

    Reply
  25. Lisa says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:25 pm

    More queries and More Writing.

    I can't speak for everyone, but I'm not too worried about anything at the moment except working on my writing and getting an agent. This seems to be a good focus on your blog, though, but I would like to see more writing. I loved that you had people submit sample pages. I can't get past that part!

    But it's a great blog anyway!

    Reply
  26. Thermocline says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:26 pm

    I'm jumping on the query/writing train with the others. More monkeys only if they're speaking in third person.

    I don't spend much time in the Forums, but I do think they are a great resource. Thanks for adding them.

    Reply
  27. Kristi Helvig says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:27 pm

    Only if they're space monkeys – the other varieties really don't interest me.

    I love everything you post about – well, except for eBooks, but I realize it's stuff I need to know. Basically, I'll just say you should keep up the awesome job you're already doing. I know, I'm so helpful! 🙂

    Reply
  28. treeoflife says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:28 pm

    More publishing info… you're much more connected with what's happening in the world of publishing than any of us. I'd like to know what the trends are, what genres are working, and what's not… if that is even possible 😛

    In no other industry I can think of is there such a disconnect between suppliers (writers) and consumers (publishers, readers). Help bridge that gap.

    Reply
  29. Stephanie McGee says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:29 pm

    Monkeys are always a nice addition to any post. Especially golden lion tamarinds. They make anything more palatable.

    Queries would be good too. If you had examples or something. I'm a visual person so anytime I can see something put into action, it works better.

    Not that there's anything wrong with your blog. I'm just saying that there's something wacky with my brain.

    Reply
  30. Jaimie says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:30 pm

    I agree with Natalie – I could really use more cowbell.

    I like your query/writing/publishing stuff, but I like the stuff about YOU too. So… more of the same?

    Reply
  31. Kourtnie McKenzie says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:30 pm

    I like the way your blog is now… XD

    If I had to say I wanted more of something, it's your writing process. It's refreshing hearing the writer side and there's tons of agent resources here on your blog. I loved your post yesterday!

    Reply
  32. This Is The Knew Me says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:30 pm

    I'm new to your blog and I'm still going through it. So far, I think it's great, but that's not why I'm commenting. One of the first things I thought when I started following you was, "Wow, this guy has a lot of author groupies!" So I was CERTAIN that when I read the comments, someone would have written, "More pictures of you, Cutiepatootie".

    LMBO Now, 25 comments in… I'm SO disappointed…

    Reply
  33. T. Anne says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:33 pm

    Just three years? I've been here that long. I guess I'm a charter member.

    I guessed I'd like you teach me how to kick the @#%! out of my revisions so I could actually produce a novel you'd like to represent. How's that?

    Reply
  34. Emily White says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:33 pm

    More query related posts would be greatly appreciated.

    And monkeys. Lots more monkeys.

    Actually, a bear vs. monkey death match would make this place perfect.

    And Natalie Whipple–AHAHAHA! I am now on my way to YouTube to watch that again.

    Reply
  35. Claire says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:33 pm

    Hi Nathan, I'd really just like to hear more of everything 🙂 but I'd especially like to hear about the publishing industry and your thoughts on stuff like ebooks and self-publishing and whatnot.

    I like reading about queries, but they're not as interesting as hearing about the day to day publishing stuff. 😛

    Reply
  36. Parisa says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:33 pm

    hi Nathan,
    I've been reading your blog for a few weeks now and this is my first comment. Just wanted to say thanks for all the invaluable information; I read up on your old blog posts and find all sorts of useful topics (and funny ones… I too used to be amazed by the pirate/hobo that is Justin-Bobby!)

    I would love to see more about writing, queries, and the agent's perspective.

    Thanks!
    -Parisa

    Reply
  37. David says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:35 pm

    I love this blog the way it is/has been so far. It's not only informative, it's also the most entertaining agent blog there is.

    If Miss Snark ever returns, I might have to reevaluate that statement, however.

    Reply
  38. This Is The Knew Me says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:36 pm

    And I say author groupies in the nicest of ways… I don't mean to offend anyone…

    Reply
  39. SJDuvall says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:36 pm

    I suggest: Queries and Writing!

    But only if you speak in third person about your own writing, and include anecdotes about a monkey.

    Just kidding, I really enjoyed your previous post about creating a Series Bible.

    Reply
  40. Emily Anderson says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:36 pm

    Definitely include more cowbells.
    I agree that you have good instincts. I like getting your take on issues that come up in the industry and that you listen to your commenters and respond. That's a biggie. Anything you provide that is informative and/or interactive is always useful and entertaining.
    I too just scan the publishing news, but I like that you include a brief summary. If something interests me, I can click on the link.

    Reply
  41. Mary McDonald says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:36 pm

    More query tips, and general how-to for getting published.

    Not sure about the monkey thing. I must have missed that. Sounds…interesting. 😉

    More clips of Coach Taylor giving speeches.

    Reply
  42. MJR says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:42 pm

    I like your posts about writing. We all need to focus on improving our writing (ie what turns you off as you are reading partials). I'm not so into the posts about queries…

    I find reading all the e-news/iPad stuff painful, but that's because I work in book printing and my husband works in book publishing and we are already feeling the impact of the e-revolution in a not-so-great way. But that's just me.

    Otherwise, keep doing what you're doing. I love the You Tell Me Posts because I can sound off about myself….which is fun every now and then..

    Reply
  43. Gypsyroz Poet says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:43 pm

    I would like more of you in third person mostly because you say some pretty funny things; and definitely more query/synopsis and contests.

    Reply
  44. Deren Hansen says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:43 pm

    There have been a number of votes for more Nathan speaking in the third person.

    I, however, want more Nathan in the second person, omniscient.

    You know you want to.

    Reply
  45. abc says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:43 pm

    More contests, more queries, more Mexican vacations with pictures, more pesto, and more discussion of the writing life.

    Reply
  46. Christina B. says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:45 pm

    I'd say more queries. Sometimes I wonder how much more someone can say on the topic, but after the recent Agent for a Day experiment I realized I'd like more on queries.

    Maybe more on Nathan's writing life, too.

    Also, a lot of the FAQ posts are pretty "old" (which is crazy to say b/c I feel like I just started reading the blog recently even though its been at least a couple years). And sometimes I wonder if Nathan were writing them today, would they read the same?

    Reply
  47. Steppe says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:45 pm

    Those six questions were rhetorical hopefully. Your very much on target
    as to all those individual aspects.

    I use cyber anchors to help my electronic wanderings.
    This blog and an old usenet group I have participated in since 1995. That's where I moved from songriting and poetry into short stories after 15 yrs of commercial writing.

    What is needed and may be beyond the scope of what your willing to participate in is an idea I'll label
    a: "Writers Consortium."

    It has many of the functions you already have in forums plus a collaborative function demonstrated by the recent; "Agent For A Day."

    Within that broad conceptual umbrella
    of a W.Consortium is only the practical sub-divisions of a hierarchical nature that would be genre separations and mixed genres.

    Its a idea you might be able to sell to your agency because it is nothing more than an old fashioned writers bar with coffee and snacks.

    The details are sketchy.
    I have always published my work openly (usenet)and gotten the type of instant feedback that the recent A.F.A.Day exercise provided.
    Plus I save the links and have permanent proof of authorship if someone should swipe a word for word poem or song. I'm a realist; people walk away with story "skeletons" constantly. Its the old cliche that there are only so many stories, when you strip them of: the stage settings, and sexual identity assignments into base forms;
    of beginnings, middles, and endings with characters the reader shall identify with, even if the surface label is a silly cliche of good or evil.

    So in short your doing great unless you want to expand and risk moving beyond your desire to lend leadership as administrator to a broader endeavor. Maybe a pay raise could be in it if you sell it up the executive chain.

    There's to much fast food in the entertainment business and not enough
    well cooked balanced sit down meals to savor. Its hard to now by browsing the glut of advertising. I'm sure agents editors and publishers suffer from the same effect; indecision due to excess unrecognizable attempted categorization choices that probably wont closely match the final outcome.

    Some people read for amusement and some people read to gain insight and knowledge to better there understanding of themselves and their fellow human beings.

    But you, personally administer a high quality "Hub" from which to begin a cyber journey/event for business or pleasure.

    If I had the skills I would start a writers consortium. The recent exercise helped me to go from editorial brutality level 9.5 to 9.9 on my own work. Behaving as if I was a continuity specialist concerned with not losing the reader for a single beat of the pacing rhythm.

    Reply
  48. Liesl says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:46 pm

    No Nathan in third-person! NOOOOOOOOO!

    Reply
  49. Rick Daley says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:46 pm

    Please keep posting regularly. I think your weekly format is excellent. It provides great variety.

    I enjoy your contests and special projects, like Agent for a Day, maybe more of those?

    P.S. Natalie's cowbell request made me laugh out loud. Good call 😉

    Reply
  50. Anonymous says

    May 5, 2010 at 5:47 pm

    more more more queries! and advice geared toward unpublished/unagented writers.

    Reply
Newer Comments »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

About Nathan

Hi, I’m Nathan. I’m the author of How to Write a Novel and the Jacob Wonderbar series, which was published by Penguin. I used to be a literary agent at Curtis Brown Ltd. and I’m dedicated to helping authors achieve their dreams. Let me help you with your book!

My blog has everything you need to know to write, edit, and publish a book. Can’t find what you need or want personalized help? Reach out.

Learn more about me

Need Editing?

I'm available for consultations, edits, query critiques, brainstorming, and more.
Learn more!

My Books

How to Write A Novel
Cover of How to Publish a Book by Nathan Bransford
Jacob Wonderbar and the Cosmic Space Kapo
Jacob Wonderbar for President of the Universe
Jacob Wonderbar and the Interstellar Time Warp

Forums

Need help with your query? Want to talk books? Check out the Nathan Bransford Forums
Footer Logo
Nathan Bransford

Helping authors achieve their dreams

  • Editing Services
  • My Books
  • About Me
  • Blog Directory
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy
Twitter Logo Facebook Logo Instagram Logo
As an Amazon and Bookshop Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Amazon and Bookshop links are usually affiliate links.